Warriors lose to Celtics, defeat Cardinals
Staff writer
Another busy week for the Peabody-Burns High School boys' basketball team brought one loss at Hutch Trinity, 69-62, and one victory at Ell-Saline, 51-42. The team prepares for its next two home games this week against Remington and Bennington.
Both offenses played well in the first quarter Feb. 7 of the Trinity game. PBHS fell behind by six but came back to take the lead when Micah Hilliard sank two free throws at the one minute mark.
Both squads added one more basket, but the Warriors held the lead at the buzzer, 17-16.
Derrick Simmonds led in scoring with five points. Nathan Bishop had four, Hilliard, Duane Unruh, Derek Benson, and Todd Woodruff each had two points.
The last four minutes of the second quarter proved costly for PBHS as Trinity built an 11-point lead capped off with a buzzer-beating three-pointer. Simmonds had six in the quarter, Unruh four, and Benson and Woodruff two each. The Celtics led 42-31 at halftime.
The Warriors offense added 10 in the third led by Woodruff with five points. Hilliard added three points, and Simmonds had two, as the Celtics extended their lead, 54-41.
The PBHS offense made a dent in the Celtics' lead in the fourth. A slower-paced offense, good perimeter shooting, and success at the free-throw line all combined to put the Warriors within four with one minute left in the game.
Benson put in seven points, Simmonds five, and Bishop and Jason Carroll each had three points. Robert Rossberg had two points, and Hilliard contributed a free throw.
The Celtics held off the Warrior surge with good free-throw shooting late in the contest and defeated PBHS, 69-62.
scoring
Simmonds 18, Woodruff, 9, Benson 11, Bishop 7, Hilliard 6, Unruh 6, Carroll 3, Rossberg 2.
Ell-Saline
PBHS and Ell-Saline were all even Friday at the end of the first period, 13-13. Simmonds led with four points, Bishop added a three-pointer, and Hilliard, Benson, and Woodruff each had a basket.
Skillful PBHS defense in the second quarter caused turnover trouble for the Cardinals. Several Warrior steals gave the team easy scoring opportunities and allowed PBHS to build a five-point lead at the half, 26-21.
Benson put in five points, Woodruff four, and Hilliard and Carroll each had a basket.
The Warrior defense remained strong in the third quarter and held Ell-Saline to 10 points. PBHS added 15 and led by nine at the end of the period, 40-31.
Benson set the pace with six points, Bishop had four, and Unruh and Hilliard each had two points. Simmonds got on the board with a free throw.
The Cardinals got within five late in the game, but PBHS remained in control claiming the 51-42 victory.
scoring
Benson 16, Bishop 9, Simmonds 8, Hilliard 7, Woodruff 6, Unruh 3, Carroll 2.
